Dak Prescott "Garbage time stats" Question

[ClintDagger]

So you think the Cleveland defense "let us" score 24 unanswered points?

Do you think they played defense the exact same way?

 

[Swagger]

No I think the Cleveland defense thought the game was done and the Cowboys wouldn’t fight back, now the Cowboys do deserve credit for fighting back. The problem is however where was this fight in the 2nd and 3rd quarter? Why does this team wait till the twilight of the 4th to start fighting back?

All this. It was the same with the Falcons game. They were happy to chew up the clock and play the % in the knowledge that in the end they would only need to recover an onside kick to win. They messed it up and lost.

The question is why has Prescott generally put up big numbers in second half of games chasing a huge deficit over the past 18 months? The only game we came back to win was versus the hapless and mistake riddled Falcons. We have lost every other game with the same formula.

Even if we have the worst defense ever (which we didn't last season) why is the offense not rolling in the first half or even first three quarters of games? That is a big concern whatever way you slice it up.

 

[phildadon86]

Do you think they played defense the exact same way?

They allowed 24 unanswered points. If they were playing defense they should be ashamed of themselves. Do you even realize that if we didnt botch the onside kick and Jaylon wasn't missing more brains than a Walking Dead marathon we were in a position to tie the game? Does that register for you?

 

[75boyz]

If you have to ask the question you’re not watching enough film. Look at what CLE’s defense was doing in quarters 1 to 3, versus what they were doing in the 4th with a four TD lead.

This ain't Rocket Science. In the 2019 and 2020 modern football era when the lead becomes 41-14.
Soft backpedal zones become the norm.
Most routes are not as aggressively defended.

It's not a hard concept and the passing yards will increase while it is being played.

Go Cowboys

 

[CowboysLegends2]

There is also the group that likes Dak and we know he can be a superbowl winning qb, but do not think he should make Mahomes money because he is not at Mahomes level.

He isn't winning NOW, what happens when he takes up even MORE salary cap space? How are we going to get any defensive help?

Qb's don't win games, teams do. And the TEAM needs an upgrade at several positions. Paying him above his level hurts the team's ability to pay for improvements.

Keep Dak, at a second tier rate of pay and I'm fine with it. Paying him elite money would be stupid.

I think this speaks for the majority of Dallas fans. Only thing I would add for the OP is that the “garbage time” numbers shows that Dak is fully capable of being a really good QB. If not every QB would have similar “garbage time numbers.” But the flip side of the coin is that if he was a top QB, his offense could keep up and not have to catch up. The truth almost always lies between two extremes.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

There is also the group that likes Dak and we know he can be a superbowl winning qb, but do not think he should make Mahomes money because he is not at Mahomes level.

He isn't winning NOW, what happens when he takes up even MORE salary cap space? How are we going to get any defensive help?

Qb's don't win games, teams do. And the TEAM needs an upgrade at several positions. Paying him above his level hurts the team's ability to pay for improvements.

Keep Dak, at a second tier rate of pay and I'm fine with it. Paying him elite money would be stupid.

The problem is we've had a QB at a second tier rate, even a rookie rate, for years and look what we put around him on defense.

 

[G2]

Do you think they played defense the exact same way?

He never claimed that, you're the one that made the claim. And it's a fair point, does any defense allow a team getting railed to comeback to within 3 points?
Answer - No.

 

[ClintDagger]

They allowed 24 unanswered points. If they were playing defense they should be ashamed of themselves. Do you even realize that if we didnt botch the onside kick and Jaylon wasn't missing more brains than a Walking Dead marathon we were in a position to tie the game? Does that register for you?

Do you think our defense got its act together and all of a sudden started shutting down CLE’s offense in the 4th quarter? Or do you think CLE changed their strategy of offense?

 

[Boyzmamacita]

And did what in the 2nd and 3rd? A game is more than just the 1st and 4th quarter.

At that pace, he would've passed for 700 yards instead of 500, not realistic. Our defense needs to stop someone so the offense doesn't have to average 14 pts a quarter to win.

 

[ClintDagger]

He never claimed that, you're the one that made the claim. And it's a fair point, does any defense allow a team getting railed to comeback to within 3 points?
Answer - No.

I never claimed CLE “let us” do anything. Did CLE play defense the exact same way in the 4th quarter or not? If not, what did they do different?

Are you guys unwilling or unable to answer the question?

 

[Swagger]

I never claimed CLE “let us” do anything. Did CLE play defense the exact same way in the 4th quarter or not? If not, what did they do different?

Are you guys unwilling or unable to answer the question?

"Prevent" defense...surely not

 

[phildadon86]

Do you think our defense got its act together and all of a sudden started shutting down CLE’s offense in the 4th quarter? Or do you think CLE changed their strategy of offense?

I dont care what cleveland did or didnt do. No sound football team lets a team come back 24 points. Especially after seeing what happened to Atlanta in the Super bowl.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

At that pace, he would've passed for 700 yards instead of 500, not realistic. Our defense needs to stop someone so the offense doesn't have to average 14 pts a quarter to win.

You mean to tell me that this offense that was chewing up yards and wracking up scores cannot get us a first down or get us in fg range?

 

[75boyz]

I never claimed CLE “let us” do anything. Did CLE play defense the exact same way in the 4th quarter or not? If not, what did they do different?

Are you guys unwilling or unable to answer the question?

Their narrative can't be justified so crickets. Explain how a team having large point leads correlate to playing simpler offense and softer zone coverages on defense and it's like a foreign language.

But oh well

I mean it is the Dallas Daksters

Not Dallas Cowboys I guess

Go Cowboys

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Probably more of a case where Cleveland knew they could score at will, wouldn't care if Dallas started scoring late, they'd just match them.

The last Cleveland touchdown indicates that, had NO trouble marching down the field for a td...

 

[HungryLion]

There is also the group that likes Dak and we know he can be a superbowl winning qb, but do not think he should make Mahomes money because he is not at Mahomes level.

He isn't winning NOW, what happens when he takes up even MORE salary cap space? How are we going to get any defensive help?

Qb's don't win games, teams do. And the TEAM needs an upgrade at several positions. Paying him above his level hurts the team's ability to pay for improvements.

Keep Dak, at a second tier rate of pay and I'm fine with it. Paying him elite money would be stupid.

Honestly though, If you sign Dak long term. His cap hit is likely a lower % of the salary cap, than it is right now.

franchise tag is the worst.


Long term deal you are backloading a good portion of it for when the salary cap will theoretically be significantly higher

deshaun Watson’s cap hit is lower this year and next year, than Dak’s is right now.

and he just got a new deal.

 

[phildadon86]

Their narrative can't be justified so crickets. Explain how a team having large point leads correlate to playing simpler offense and softer zone coverages on defense and it's like a foreign language.

But oh well

I mean it is the Dallas Daksters

Not Dallas Cowboys I guess

Go Cowboys

Umm no thats not it at all. I was just asking how its a game ending pick when hes only padding his stats and the game is lost. No team will allow the other team to score 24 unanswered points just because they are winning. If you think they would I am definitely not the one speaking another language.

 

[cowboyec]

ain't nothing garbage about throwin' your team from behind with a chance to win or tie at the end...and the other side KNOWS your gonna have to throw it.
his improvement as a QB over the last 2 seasons is a credit to what he's made of.
been impressive to watch this young man growin' before our eyes.
D4K

 

[DFWJC]

I dont think stat padding or garbage time stats are the correct way to describe it.

It has been unusual though
theres no doubt that the game scripts have seen us fall way behind, to a point to where teams that already have some of the very worst pass defenses in the NFL, fall into borderline prevent defense mode.

Thats a perfect storm for an offense as talented as ours to really pile up some stats

Because our offense is so loaded and Dak and crew never give up, this defensive strategy has been a mistake.
Atlanta actually lost the game due to this, and Cleveland certainly could have.

The first quarter of last game showed this offense can roll against a weak pass defense (and probably most defenses) regardless.
But Cleveland did for sure back off starting late 3rd quarter.
Not our fault that made that mistake.

 

[Lutonio]

So I’m on the the record as saying l like Prescott and think the team can win games with him. I also haven’t said anything about the last INT because that was Cooper and the game was over by that point.

For me, the garbage time argument comes into play against people trying to say how perfectly incredible he was, the team is letting him, don’t be surprised if he walks (which he might) and takes his talent to a team that supports him because that’s the only reason he’s not winning.

I think it’s more fair if you view garbage time accumulation as a team stat instead of as a QB. That game was over at half time, and he contributed to that. I understand he had a great first quarter with a little over 150 yards. He also disappeared in the second and third quarter, totaling under 80 yards across the both of them. At least I think those numbers are right—I didn’t check before writing. If they are, that leaves over 250 yards in the 4th quarter while you’re down by 3 possessions, which is what many people would consider garbage time.

I know they came back to within one possession, but look at what happened when Cleveland realized they needed to play again—they scored in a single play. Imagine if they actually tried like that the entire second half instead of letting up.

Again, I see it as more of a team stat. There are reasons (and bigger ones that Prescott) as to why they were in that situation like a nonexistent defense, play calling that waits until they’re losing to open it up, and a special teams unit that puts the “special” in “special teams.”

But Prescott bears some responsibility for his disappearing act and some of the turnovers, including his poor pocket awareness and tendency to take really, really, really bad sacks (which is my biggest criticism of him). He’s not the biggest reason the team ended up with garbage time, not even close. But he was at least part of the reason.